Circle of Destiny
When the world was still young, two divine beings looked down upon it and smiled. They gifted the world with life, and nurtured that life until it could function on its own. In time, there were other divine beings, the children of those that came before them. These beings became the Pantheon that is now known as the Circle of Destiny. The World Parents '' "Long ago, after the worlds were made and stars first appeared in the void of space, there existed a great being. This being was tasked, by whatever force possesses the power to create whole universes, to hold light and darkness in his hands. Each hand was to hold an equal amount, so that all of creation would remain in balance. At first, the being, Lethander, held all of the light in his right hand, and all of the darkness in his left. In this manner, all things were equal." "For time incomprehensible to mortals, the universe was static. Nothing ever changed. Nothing ever moved. Even gods eventually get bored, so, as the ages wore on, Lethander switched hands to break the monotony. When he did this, the universe moved for just a moment, then stopped. Intrigued, he tried it again, and found that whenever the light and darkness moved, so did everything else. When they didn't, the world stood still." "Out of curiosity, he tried smashing the two elements together. For a while, light and dark intermingled, but this caused chaos to wrack the universe. Eventually, the balance faltered as parts of light and dark each tried to overcome the other. This clash was the first great war between good and evil. Lethander noticed this and pulled them apart to mend the balance. The light and darkness were still equal, but flecks of each still appeared in the other, unable to be completely separated. Because of this, in every person, no matter how pure or putrid, there exists a potential for both good and evil. No one is completely without vice, and no one is completely without virtue." "This presented an unusual dilemma for Lethander, as he could no longer tell exactly how much light and darkness existed. Nor did he know of a way to sift the two apart, as they seemed irrevocably mixed. Lethander thought about this. As he did so, he absently started to pass the light and darkness between his hands in a circular motion, since that made the universe move and stimulation will help even a god think." "Lethander looked up from his musings to find that the pieces had formed a ring, each half roughly equal to the other. He also noticed that the flecks were starting to move back to their proper side, gravitating back into place. Although new flecks would occasionally move into the opposing energy, it was obvious that light and darkness would eventually flow to their separate sides again. The universe around him was also moving in a nice and orderly fashion, but with just enough chaos to be interesting." "From within this motion, something new was born, filled with parts of both the light and the darkness. This new force was called life, and from it was born Cesia. Wherever Cesia went, new life was created and the light grew a bit stronger. Lethander looked upon Cesia and was pleased, claiming her as his own. Although the light grew stronger in the existence of life, Lethander would not hinder its growth, as Cesia stilled her new husband's hand. Life was a part of her, and he would no sooner harm her than he would harm himself." "Because of this, Lethander became known as the Father, creator of all things and keeper of the balance. In turn, Cesia became known as the Mother, giver of life and protector of nature. We hold them sacred in all things, for all things are a part of them."'' The first two divine entities of the Circle of Destiny are known as Lethander and Cesia. They are the World Parents, for all life, as well as the other gods, originate from them. Lethander, the Father (Greater god) Agenda: Maintaining the balance between law and chaos, and between good and evil. Lethander is the God of Creation and Balance, and the Father of the Seven. He is interested in the preservation of the balance of the world, and in the protection of his wife and children. Priests are tasked with the mission of keeping the balance between these elements, though it is usual that they work with the forces of good, as there has tended to be an overabundance of natural evil in the world, and that evil has a tendency to be rather proactive in its pursuits. Cesia, the Mother (Greater goddess) Agenda: Preserving life, happiness of people, nature and druids. Cesia is the Goddess of Nature and Life, and the Mother of the Seven, as well as many of the lesser deified beings. She is interested in the expansion and preservation of life and nature through her clerics and her exclusive followers, druids and rangers. Priests and druids are tasked with helping people and doing good wherever possible. The Seven From the union of Lethander and Cesia came seven children, referred to collectively as the Seven. With their parents, they represent the core pantheon. Nassarine, the Paladin (Intermediate goddess) Agenda: The righteous destruction of evil and the protection of good. Nassarine is the Goddess of Righteousness and Vigilance, and is One of the Seven. She is interested in the elimination of evil in all its forms. In her quest to destroy evil, she has paladins as her special servants and crusaders. Priests and paladins of Nassarine are entrusted with the mission of striking down evil wherever possible, with no concern as to the nature of the evil or any consequences of taking up sword upon it. Modreos, the Judge (Intermediate god) Agenda: The fair dispensing of justice and the welfare of those that do so. Modreos is the God of Justice and Mediation, and the Two of the Seven. He is interested in pure justice without bias, protection of those that dispense justice, and assistance to the victims of injustice. Priests are sought out to resolve disputes, and often sit as judges. Lyta, the Traveler (Intermediate goddess) Agenda: Protection and encouragement of those that travel and the spreading of good. Lyta is the Goddess of Travel and Travelers, and is the Three of the Seven. She is interested in the protection of travelers, and in the spread of good throughout the world by travel. She takes particular interest in traveling entertainers, and endows some of these with arcane ability. She also concerns herself with the dispensing of luck. Priests are encouraged to travel and do good works while traveling, as are the Troubadours, wandering minstrels in Lyta's service. Ranius, the Trickster (Intermediate god) Agenda: Inserting chaos and random happenstance into everyday lives. Ranius is the God of Trickery and Illusion, and is the Four of the Seven. He is interested pranks and games, particularly when directed at those who think themselves above such pursuits. Priests are encouraged to supply a little haphazardness into the lives of those they meet, whether they like it or not. Taelial, the Corruptor (Intermediate god) Agenda: Amassing power and corrupting those of pure heart. Taelial is the God of Power and Corruption, and is the Five of the Seven. He is interested in the domination of all living things and in the surrender of intelligent beings to their darkest desires. Priests are encouraged to undermine the forces of good, claiming what converts that they may. Silith, the Destroyer (Intermediate goddess) Agenda: The eventual destruction of all that exists. Silith is the Goddess of Death and Death Magic, and the Six of the Seven. She concerns herself with seeing that all that begins will eventually end. She is also interested in the undead, and those that raise them to her cause. Priests are given the mission of guiding as many living souls into the embrace of death as is possible, and in creating undead beings to serve Silith's designs. Jorgen, the Berzerker (Intermediate god) Agenda: The act of war and all the destruction and atrocity that accompanies it. Jorgen is the God of War and Atrocity, and is the Seven of the Seven. He is interested only in battle, doing whatever must be done to win and fully humiliating his opponent. He does not concern himself with any sort of honor. Priests are drawn to join in battle, urging combatants to higher levels of depravity and leaving genocide, rape and destruction in their path. Other Deities Enise, Shalarra, Menia and Nyless are known as the Four Passions. Born to Cesia after a dalliance with a mortal, they represent drastically different views of love and the act of love. Enise, the Child (Lesser goddess) Agenda: Encouraging good will and affection between mortals. Enise is the Goddess of Love and Affection. She is interested in the encouragement of good feelings towards others, whether that is brotherhood between different peoples, affection between family members, or the love between soulmates. Priests are directed to encourage people to put aside petty squabbles or differences to see the good in each other. Temples of Enise often hold dances for city youth to meet and perhaps find that special someone. Priests of Enise also often accompany diplomatic envoys in their missions as a show of friendship. Shalarra, the Sensualist (Lesser goddess) Agenda: Furthering the pleasures of the mind and body. Shalarra is the Goddess of Lust and Pleasure. She is interested in that which mortals find pleasurable, whether it be the sex act, a soft massage, or great works of art. Priests are instructed in the arts, and encouraged to pass this instruction to others. While many priests and priestesses follow the sensual or erotic slants of Shalarra's worship, a strong minority focus on more aesthetic pursuits, such as music, theater and the arts. It is rumored that her high priestess is a master chef. Menia, the Binder (Lesser goddess) Agenda: Uniting individuals in the holy institution of marriage and encouraging spousal commitment and fidelity. Menia is the Goddess of Marriage and Commitment. She is interested in the precious union of lifetime mates and fidelity. Priests are given the responsibility of blessing married couples and giving advice to such partners. They also witness other unions, including business partnerships. Priests are often approached by parents for advice on arranged marriages for their children, and are asked to conduct such unions regularly. Nyless, the Wicked (Lesser goddess) Agenda: Spreading rape and perversity. Nyless is the Goddess of Rape and Perversity. She is interested in the practices of forced sex and the most extreme of fetishes, especially those involving unwilling or innocent victims. Priests are encouraged to perform whatever vile practices that they wish, on whomever they have the chance to do so with. Rape, molestation and cruelty are common among followers of Nyless. Arren Giisas, the Roller of Dice (Lesser goddess) Agenda: The ebb and flow of random events. Arren Giisas is the Goddess of Luck and Fate. Nelodemus, the Finder of Secrets (Lesser god) Agenda: The collection of knowledge and lore. Nelodemus is the God of Knowledge and Magic. The Least Gods Not all gods are powerful and well-known beings whose histories and personalities are public knowledge. Some scholars debate whether the term 'God' even can truly be applied, or if they are just worship-seeking spirits or demons who find mortals easy to deceive. Generally, a Least God has but a single temple and a handful of worshippers, no more than a small village or tribe. Some have even less, and languish near broken altars and forgotten shrines, and still others creep feebly through the world without any anchor at all. Still, though they may be weak, they tend to be jealously protective of their few followers that indulge their bizarre whims, and are more prone to direct intervention and shameless favoritism, whereas the greater gods are more aloof. Though their spheres of influence are limited, they have grown crafty and subtle in the use of their limited powers to protect their followers. Example Least Gods Mundo Cani- God of Howling Dogs Itti Tikang- God of Jammed Guns And Ricochets Ubdon- God of Tree Stumps The Partial Gods This topic is of great debate, as even the meaning of a Partial God is argued over. The most commonly agreed upon definition of a Partial God is a being that is upon the cusp of godhood. Some examples that could be Partial Gods, but are still debated about include: *Avatar of a god *Priestess of a goddess *A mortal who's skill at a craft has surpassed what's mortally possible, crafts could include sorcery, smithing, spear fighting, knowledge gathering, empathizing, or crocheting* -Emperor of an expansive realm *Child of an actual god Another well agreed upon aspect of what it means to be a Partial God is that there's typically an obstacle or obstacles that prevents them from achieving God status. The agreed upon primary obstacle of achieving Godhood is mortality, as what is a God that is mortal? There are others obstacles as well, ranging from character flaws, ignorance of ones Partial God status, a lack of will to become an actual God, or bad luck. Partial Gods also tend to be remembered, even if it just a technique they introduced to the world at large. Occasionally, their spirit will live on in some form, raising them to Lesser God status if they have the ability to interact with the world afterward. There are some theories that this is the way that all true Gods and Goddesses are born, of reaching Partial God status before being raised to Godhood through some means, whether through will, the grace and power of the current Gods, or the laws of the universe itself. *''Author's note: While it is unlikely that there is a God or Godess, Partial or otherwisem of crocheting, and the craft was only included at the behest of the Author's tiresome truly wonderful and adoring husband, as they are a firm believer that their mother is The Partial God of Crocheting. The Author also admits that what that women does with a stick and yarn is indeed impressive.'' Cesia the Mother Cesia is the Goddess of Nature and Life, and the Mother of the Seven, as well as many of the lesser deified beings. She is interested in the expansion and preservation of life and nature through her clerics and her exclusive followers, the druids and rangers. It has been once said that she was born when the world was created by the Father's, Lethander's, hand, bringing life and light to the world and all within it. As a creator of all life and the embodiment of light, she has a duty to preserve the life of the beings that live on the earth and to bring joy and happiness as she did her husband on that very fateful day. It has been also said that she has dominion over her servants, the world elements, fire, water, earth, and air, those invisible servants serve her and perform tasks for those who seek it, however lately, there has been a corruption within the elements unbeknownst to the Goddess herself and some druids of dubious nature had managed to seize control of some of these elementals and bind them to their will over Her own. Her appearance is that of an elegant-looking lady with long flowing robes that nearly touch her bare feet, wearing a crown of flowers upon her head. The robes are adorned with a vine-like pattern, green intertwined with blue with gold adornments. In villages dedicated to her worship, particularly those far away from any large settlements, they see her as a simple lady, lacking the golden adornments that the cityfolk believed she wears. Oftentimes, there are statues in said villages that take on the form of the wildlife; the dove, the doe, and the bear, village folklore say that these three forms are what Cesia uses to disguise herself as she keeps watch of the woods and mountains. She is often portrayed as kind and gentle in said folklore, but however, this is not the case with the birth of city life that brought with it a new interpretation to her. The cityfolk sees her as a stern and strict motherly figure, her long flowing hair normally present in her former interpretation are cut short. She can be seen as sometimes cruel but fair with bouts of kindness to ensure her children do not stray away from the light. Beliefs of Cesian druids and rangers Those who worship Cesia are often those who prefer the natural world, which means city worship is very uncommon for a goddess such as her, especially with the interpretation put forward the city druids. They tend to have a belief that they must do their part in preserving life within the world, not killing if they can help it, and to ensure the light in the world stays on, which may be easier said than done in some cases. They believe that everyone with the capacity for thought, be they man or animal, has a choice to do good and they seek to do good whenever they possibly can whilst adhering to the Golden Rule often found in her scripture: "Shall it harm done, do as thou wilt.", although most followers (even the village folk) have made exceptions to this, oftentimes modifying it to be "If the act of another threatens the life of their brother or sister, it is our duty to intervene. Although detestable, we may turn to violence in our hour of need. Otherwise, if your actions do not endanger the life of others, do as thou wilt." Needless to say, many wars broke out because of this, especially with the invention of more and more advanced technology that threatens the natural world. While the city followers are nonplussed, seeing the technology as a means to an end to preserve life for all, the village followers often tend to stay away from the technology not brought about by the natural order of the world, however, recently, certain villages have been conceding that they may need the technology to survive, which further complicates the whole ordeal. In short, and to get back on track, Cesian worshippers believe that everyone with a capacity for thought, be they man or animal, has a choice to do good and they must seek it out at every possible opportunity, and to protect and preserve life to the best of their abilities, even if the cost happens to be their own lives. Some worshippers believe in the application of violence in dire times to achieve this goal, otherwise they may seek a more peaceful solution. There have been some worshippers that have been able to attain a very keen connection to the Goddess, while far and few inbetween, they are said to bring about a great change across the land and are often referred to as The Mother's Chosen. They are powerful mortals, even if they have not realized their true potential as of yet. Known Villages and Cities that worship Cesia *Beloniya City - While she may not be worshipped as much as the other gods and goddesses, she still gets recognition as the one that brought them life and they perform an annual festival in her and her husband's honor with every trip around the sun. *Cinéal - A small town located the largest forest of the continent, Cinéal is most noteworthy for their implementation of modern (for the time!) technology within their village, believing that a balance between nature and man can be achieved. Because of this, they also worship Cesia's husband, Lethander and is the largest known hub for natural worshippers. Lately, however, they've come under an encroaching darkness that plagues their land, nobody knows where it came from and what caused it is of some debate, some naysayers of modern technology place the blame squarely on the tech, as predicted, believing that the elements are growing restless and angry with each abuse of their domain. In addition to this, there has been rumors in this town about a dark, evil cult that may be attempting to gain control of the elemental servants that make up the Goddess's ranks and to use them for their own nefarious ends, however everything is fine and absolutely nothing is wrong, the darkness is merely the Goddess's gifts to us all and we must accept them for we are her children. Lore Contributors The original creator of this Lore is the Roll20 user Megan Jones, while other parts have been added by the Roll20 users named below. All of the participants of the first Game of Adventuring Game. -Wizzzargh -Sebastian R. -Muirikyo